Comparedownload.com allows users to search through a database of more than 10m tracks from nearly all the major online music retailers, including iTunes, Amazon UK and Play.com.

Around 1,000 new tracks are added each day, and the company aims to expand so that its database covers the entirety of the download industry.

It is currently the only site of its kind for UK users, its founders having spotted an unexplored gap in the online music market.

James Bott, comparedownload.com's founder, says: 'The inspiration for the site was born out of frustration at having to search through a range of stores to find the music I wanted at the right price.

'As the site developed, it was clear it could be so much more than just a price comparison site: to get everything that I wanted as a music fan I used to have to hunt through dozens of sites.'

Bott, an avid music fan, and co-founder Darren Sher are close to securing a deal with retailing powerhouse HMV, having reached an agreement in principle.

And company representatives confirmed that discussions with a number of other download hosts, including juno.co.uk, are ongoing.

Currently, legal downloading only accounts for an estimated 5% of total of music downloads, but comparedownload.com believes that it can provide some help in the fight against music piracy by encouraging users to take the legal option.

The site works along the same commission-based principle as other price comparison sites, such as moneysupermarket.com or gocompare.com, in that it takes a certain percentage from each sale.

However, the site itself only offers search and comparison tools – users must still sign up with their chosen retailer in order to pay and download.

A company statement claims: 'The benefits of using the site are not limited to price comparison: in fact comparedownload.com acts as a music information hub, gathering an extensive range of up-to-date information and interactive content, which fans can access at the click of a mouse.'

Additional services include free 30 second clips and streaming through a deal with We7, YouTube music videos and user song and album reviews.

'The website acts as a one-stop shop, offering users the chance to save money on legal downloads, safe in the knowledge that the music they purchase is totally legal, meaning the artists they love get their fair share,' say comparedownload.com.